


Not Forgotten

by IrisClou



Series: Mav Misadventures (General MMX Shenanigans) [4]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Drama, F/M, Redemption, There's some noncon folks be warned, zero shows up to be Extremely Fucking Pissed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 03:53:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10845936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisClou/pseuds/IrisClou
Summary: When Kitty innocently visits Armor to pick up her newly mended tail, she winds up embroiled in a situation she never thought her "friend" was capable of.





	Not Forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> you know shits about to get real if the fic starts with fuckin phil collins' "in the air tonight"  
> apparently kitty is surrounded by phil collins' entire discography

 

**[[In The Air Tonight | Phil Collins]](https://youtu.be/ylITtfio9Mg) **

 

> _Well I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes_   
>  _So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been_   
>  _It's all been a pack of lies_

 

The room was dimly lit, only the bright lamp at the workbench shining in the darkness of late night.

Armor barely even twitched an ear at the sound of the vidphone ringing.

He was in the middle of a boss fight on his game, and he wasn't about to get distracted mid battle.

"Answer." He demanded, the vidscreen flashing on. Kitty had her face pressed up to the camera on her end.

"Yeah?" Armor didn't look up, ears flicked back in annoyance. The boss crit his black mage for half his HP, and now he'd have to spend his next turn healing him. Damn it.

"Arrrrrrmorrrrr..." Kitty crooned, and wiggled her nose, "Look uuuuup...."

The armadillo's ears finally pricked, swiveling to meet the bubbly voice.

Slowly, he turned wide eyes up to see her.

"K-Kitty?" He managed, barely remembering to press pause just so he didn't auto forfeit the fight.

"Mhm."

"Uh..." Armor suddenly bristled, and frowned, lowering his voice to sound gruffer, "Whaddaya want? I'm kinda fuckin' busy."

"Oh! I didn't know you were still working! I thought you sent me the message saying my tail was done."

Kitty's face fell, bottom lip out.

The armadillo swore at himself.

_Dick move, Armor._

"Oh, y-yeah...it's...it's done." His stomach ached with a fleeting shame.

"Okay! I'll be right over to pick it up!" Kitty chirruped, and signed out before Armor could respond.

The boy heaved a hot sigh, shaking his head. He was just angry that Kitty didn't automatically like him. He was _easily_ the toughest of all the mavericks, and he didn't blabber on like that idiot Flame Mammoth.

But even if he was bitter about that, he figured being a jerk to her wouldn't make her like him more. No, he'd play it cool. He was sure he could get another chance at her.

Time was running out, especially when they had so much of it being _down_ time. That meant that losers like Flame or even that dumb kid Axl could go after her.

Still grumbling, Armor got up and threw on some sweats and one of his favorite shirts. It had the four main characters of his most beloved video game, the first one he ever played. The game he was playing now was a long-forgotten prequel to that one.

Shuffling about, he made his way to his workbench. On it lay a gorgeous golden bushfire tail, about four feet in length. It had been damaged badly in a earlier mission training, causing Kitty immense amounts of pain.

In order to ease the pain, it had been removed--a delicate yet intense procedure that only Armor was capable of doing.

Now that the tail was fixed, all that was left to do was reattach it.

Reverently, he ran a leathery hand over the plush fur, stroking all the way to the tip.

Sure, Armor had a tail of his own, nothing of real pride, but if he had something as glorious as this--

He snorted, shaking his head.

He'd look ridiculous is what.

"Armor?" A pawing at the door.

"Keyeah, come in." The armadillo tried to look as casual as possible. He almost fell over, however as Kitty padded in.

She was just wearing one of Zero's oversized t-shirts. Lion King, of course.

 _I'll hakuna_ your _matatas,_ Armor caught himself thinking, a grin slipping past his cool exterior.

"Oh! Look at it! It looks so much better! Thank you, Armor!" Kitty chittered excitedly, hopping up and down.

"Yeah, no problem." He eyed her figure through the loose shirt. Even though he wished she wore something form fitting, the fact she wasn't wearing anything but panties and a shirt--

Well, Armor certainly wasn't complaining. Just like out of his comic books.

"Can you put it on?"

Suddenly, Armor froze. How had he not realized he'd have to reattach it to her himself?

 _Ohh, Kitty._ The armadillo's grin grew wider. _Ohh, Kitty._

"Sure. Turn around, and put your hands down on the workbench." Armor could not believe his actual luck. "It'll be easier if your spine's at an angle."

"Oh! Okay!" Kitty naively did as she was told, leaning over the table.

Armor plucked the bushy tail from the bench and went to kneel behind the girl.

"Lift your shirt up." He tried to hide his excitement, "You can just rest your elbows on the bench, honestly."

"Okay!" Kitty hiked up her shirt, and propped herself up on her elbows.

Armor did his best to sneak a look under the shirt.

Ha! No bra. _L u c k y !_

"Alright, give me a sec." The boy murmured, "I gotta find the reattachment point. Stay still."

Weathered fingers poised on either side of the girl's panties, Armor had to take a minute to relish the moment.

No other reploid would have gotten away with this shit. What a dumb little floozy she was! Bent over, ass out--all because he asked!

He snorted to himself. At this rate...

"Armor?" Kitty wiggled her hips. "Did you find it?"

The armadillo's eyes widened, brows up. Shit, this was infinitely better than most _dreams_ he had about Kitty.

"Yeah, hang on." Armor felt his heart pound as he began to tug the panties down. Such a cute, lacy pink...! God damn did he want to keep them.

He could probably convince that dumbshit Axl to steal some for him.

Kitty tensed, hips jerking upward in alarm.

"Armor?!"

But the boy was nearly drooling. There it was...the perineal plate. Perfect and slender, nestled between two supple, creamy thighs. God, he wanted to grab them and just yank them apart, bury his face right between--

"Armor! You better not be looking at my privates!" Kitty squeaked, and stamped one indignant foot.

"Heh, what? No, not at all." Armor lied, his strong hands cupping either side of her full hips. "The insertion point is at the end of the sacrum. It's really close to your butt." He chuckled, trying to sound reassuring.

"Oh..." Kitty began to laugh, "I'm so used to it being attached, I never really think about where it actually starts!"

"It's okay." Armor purred, breath shallow as he ran thick fingers down her sides to her thighs. He was tempted to make up a bullshit excuse to get her to spread her legs, but he figured he had plenty of time.

Taking the tail carefully in his arms, he felt along the small of her back until his thumb rested above that perfectly round ass of hers. It took all his willpower to not just grab it right then and there.

"There we go. Got it." He mumbled, finding the right spot, "Hold still. It may feel really weird."

"Mmm..." Kitty made a worried noise.

To both of their surprise, the tail was reattached quite easily.

Kitty wagged it, brushing Armor's nose, causing him to sneeze.

"It works!!" She squealed, whirling around.

Armor had no time to react, a gasp caught in his throat as Kitty threw herself into his arms, knocking him to the floor.

She rubbed her cheeks all over his, her tail going a mile a minute.

"I missed it so much! And now I'm brand new, thanks to you!" She mewed giddily.

A bright red blush covered Armor's face, dark eyes wide with surprise. His ears were perked towards the girl, nose wiggling.

He'd never seen Kitty up close like this.

Not this happy, smiley bundle of fluff, laughing--

He swallowed. She looked so warm, soft...every inch of her something he didn't want to let go of. And it wasn't a dark, bitter longing in his heart.

A genuine need, desire, to be--

Kitty quieted, frowning in the boy's lap.

"You're supposed to say 'you're welcome.'" She pouted, "In that mean, gruff voice, like you didn't even care to start with."

Armor gave a start, ears folding back in alarm. Wait a minute, Kitty was supposed to be a dumb fuzzball, not--

"But I know you care, Armor. My brother says so, and I believe him." Kitty purred, and relaxed, nuzzling his cold, wet nose to hers. "You care a whole lot, so why are you so...distant?"

Armor's ears flattened and he roughly turned his head, breaking the nuzzle.

"Why are you an _asshole_ is what you _meant_ to say." Armor's topaz gem flashed, his eyes lighting with the same golden color. "Don't play dumb. You know _exactly_ what I'm like." He hissed.

"I'm not playing anything," Kitty huffed, "I wanna know why you're so sad and angry all the time." Her tail swayed slowly side to side.

"I'm _not_ angry or sad," He felt more and more like curling into a ball under the sheets, "And you should _leave_ if you know what's good for you."

Kitty spent a moment pouting and frowning, shifting her hips with her tail as she was deep in thought.

"I'm the HQ therapist." She puffed out her chest proudly, "It's my job to make sure you're okay."

"Kitty." Armor locked eyes with her, narrowing his own to sharp slits, "Get out of here before I _actually_ get angry."

Kitty pretended to think for a moment before smiling. "No."

Her tail went limp and her eyes widened, quickly realizing that was the wrong answer. Armor puffed up his own chest, looming over her menacingly.

Kitty was so tiny in comparison to him, and she never quite understood that until now. A squeal escaped her as Armor roughly grabbed her little wrists, pinning her in his lap.

"I warned you." He hissed again, teeth bared, "I gave you a chance. And I'm sick of missing my own."

"Armor, what's going on?!" Kitty struggled, tail flailing wildly, "I just wanted to talk!" She winced as the grip on her wrists tightened painfully.

"I don't like talking. Why do you think I'm quiet all the time?" The snarl turned into a dark grin, gold eyes glinting menacingly in the dim room.

"Armor...Armor, you're scaring me...!" Kitty squirmed as he leaned down, taking her with him.

"It's because I'd be killed for the things I think," he whispered hotly, his heart racing, feeding off of Kitty's growing fear, "Especially about _you_. Zero'd have my head, that fuckin' prick."

Tears welled in Kitty's eyes, and she began to kick, writhing in his grasp.

"And now, since I've been so patient after all these years," He roughly grabbed both wrists in one hand, pushing her to the floor, slender legs flying up.

Kitty lay, trembling in terror, arms held firmly above her head. One of Armor's shins dug harshly into her ankle, pinning her leg as well.

"I'm going to take what I deserve, after putting up your bitch of a brother." With his free hand, he slowly pulled up her shirt, savoring every creamy inch of skin revealed, up until--

He frowned. She was shaking pretty bad.

 _Fuck it, I've waited_ years _for her,_ he shook his head, and continued, staring as two perfect little breasts came into view, pert, rosy nipples adorning them.

His eyes widened. She had them! Just like in his comics...

He frowned again, fingers poised above one. There was a strange noise coming from Kitty.

He looked up.

She was sobbing, her face buried shamefully in her shoulder. What _really_ got his attention was her flashing gems.

Red. Panic. She was calling for help. And with any luck, Zero would rush in and fire a buster shot right between the armadillo's eyes.

Slowly, Armor loosened his grip on her, and sat up, his own gem a dull bronze.

He stayed quiet, a bored, shifting looking on his face, sighing as Kitty began to curl up on her side, still trembling.

Armor rolled his eyes.

He hadn't _really_ meant to hurt her. Maybe just rough her up a bit, or--

Suddenly, he felt a pang of fear. He looked around nervously. Where had that come from--

In an instant, there were razor sharp claws at his jugular, and a shadowed face, all fangs and glowing eyes, pupils black slits.

He jerked back in horror, squealing.

"MAVERICK!" Kitty yowled, and lunged.

It took all of Armor's strength to subdue her, his gem a strained, flickering gold.

"I'm....I'm not going Maverick!" He hissed trying to fend off her attacks. The more time he wasted fighting her, the sooner Zero would be here, and the sooner his head would be rolling on the floor. "Look at my eyes! My gem! It's just me!"

Kitty's voice broke.

"But...you were going to--" Kitty sobbed, "You can't be that cruel just by _yourself_...!" Her eyes fell, pupils full again, her body shaking from fear and exhaustion.

Armor lowered his eyes.

"I wasn't going to hurt you, Kitty. Just..." He turned his head, shame making his gem a muddy bronze, "Mess with you a bit."

But Kitty was still crying.

The shame turned to guilt, and his gem faded to an even duller color.

"I'm...an asshole," He offered weakly, "I told you--"

"You don't HAVE to be!" She wailed, hands balled into fists, "You can be a _good person_!"

"No, I can't! People won't see it! They don't even see me when I'm a fuckin' _jerk_ !" Armor yelled back, "I'm fuckin' invisible no matter _what_ I do!"

Kitty paused mid sob.

"...Why didn't...you just say..." She whimpered, watching him huff angrily.

"I was lonely? Because I'm the strongest fuckin' Mav here, and I don't even get included in the roster half the time. _Hell_ !" He bushed up, fur bristling, "I was the last one X fought! Probably fuckin' forgot I existed until Mr. Fuckin Perfect Prettyboy reminded him that yes! I was _happily killing people!"_

There was a heated silence, before--

"Sounds like you've got a lot of shit to work out, my friend."

Armor stiffened, eyes slowly following the voice up to a very tired looking Zero in the doorway, still armed to the nines from late night mission. There was a bit of blood caught on his pauldron, the dark red staining the pristine white.

His eyes were lit with a dark glow.

"Shit _I'm_ not willing to deal with. Not when I can fix it by snapping your spine."

Kitty stayed silent, hunching up, knees to her chin.

"I don't know what the hell's been going on, but it better be solved by tomorrow morning, or Alia's gonna have more paperwork on her hands than she'd like," Zero folded his arms slowly, "and some lab rat scientist _somewhere_ is going to have the time of his _life_ taking your mangled remains apart, _piece by piece."_

Armor shrunk back. Even if he wanted to argue, to fight, he could not break Zero's unwavering gaze.

"I could say a lot more, Roadkill," The man's voice was husky, strained, "But I've had enough of mavericks. Consider this your last saving grace. Because there will _not_ be a next time to fuck up."

He slowly turned to his sister.

"Here's me giving _explicit_ permission to tear his throat out if he so much as breathes wrong, understood?"

Kitty nodded solemnly.

And as soon as he had come, he left, leaving Armor skulking and Kitty silent for a long time.

"I still think you can be a good person," The girl whispered, still a bit shaken.

Armor stayed quiet.

"I think no one listened to you...and you just...bottled up all that resentment." Kitty was soft, shivering, "I know what that feels like." Her gem was dull as well, a dusky blue.

"How?" Armor's face narrowed, almost badgerlike. "Everyone fuckin' _loves_ you."

Kitty shook her head.

"Not when I was kept with Dr. Light. No one played with me. X only wanted to be with Zero." Her voice was barely audible, " _He forgot about me."_

Armor felt a deep pang of pity. _X_ , of all people, forgetting _Kitty_ of all people.

"...That shouldn't have happened to you." He murmured. He wished he could say more, but any energy he had earlier left him feeling cold blooded.

"I'm okay now. We were all just little kids back then. X didn't know any better." Kitty did her best to smile, "And I think you can learn, too. So let's do something nice together, okay?"

Armor blinked, stunned.

"Kitty, no. I'm not someone you want to be around." He scowled, and pulled himself to his feet, ears slicked back. "I'm a jerk, and I don't think that's gonna change."

"It won't if you keep saying that." Kitty argued, hopping up, "I know you can do nice things, you've helped my brother out a lot."

Armor felt a blush tinge his dark cheeks.

"Yeah, well..." He frowned, "X..." he coughed, searching for something to say, "I don't like seeing him hurt."

"You've saved him a few times, haven't you? I know that you're _supposed_ to protect him, but...it takes a lot of courage to do it when you're scared of getting hurt yourself." Kitty smiled again, eyes soft in the lamplight.

Armor bowed his head wordlessly.

"I think if you keep doing nice things, you'll feel less like a jerk." She padded up to him, still small, still gentle.

He couldn't even look at her.

"Let's do something nice together." Her hands were slender, delicate, on his arm. "Something not loud and scary."

**[[I Wish It Would Rain Down | Phil Collins]](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UN6Sw3Rh6ug) **

Armors ears were pinned back as far as they could go, eyes mere slits. If only he could cry, could feel remorse. But it was just a nauseating numbness in the pit of his stomach. He stayed silent.

"Here, we can sit on the bed, and you don't even have to say anything. I'll sync with you."

Kitty managed to coax him gently back onto the sheets, crosslegged in front of her. She wound her way into his lap, her tail patting the bed.

"It's okay, Armor. You're not a bad person. You just let the bad parts of you show more than the good. We can fix that." She murmured, running her fingers through the thick fur of his neck. "We can fix that."

Armor relaxed at the touch, closing his eyes. Maybe this is why Kitty was kept as the therapist. She could work with even the shittiest Mavs. Like him.

He cringed at himself, ears quivering.

"Shh. I'm going to sync now, alright? Be still. I'm right here."

Armor felt his heart throb, shuddering as Kitty brought her gem to his. He didn't want her to see years of bitterness, bitterness he'd claimed was just part of his personality.

But she held tight the entire time, fingers buried in his fur. She winced, winced at all she had to bear just to find a spark of happiness.

"I'm sorry..." Armor murmured, wanting, wanting badly to break the bond, to simply turn his head. "I'm--"

Kitty bristled, the things she felt, the memories she saw, disgusting and vile, "This isn't...a pity party!" She hissed. "You are going to _change!_ And it will be _good!_ " She grit her teeth, her fingers curling, pulling painfully at his fur.

But the grip soon slackened, as Armor's gem glowed a deep amber.

Kitty blinked, eyes wide.

She saw him now, for what he truly was.

_Forgotten._

"I'm _sorry_ ...!" Armor gasped, emotion finally breaking through, "I'm _sorry_ I turned out like _this!"_ He wept, the oldest memories dragged like skeletons from his memory banks.

Day after day, deep underground, silent. Alone. Not even his humans would speak to him. Mindless work. No passion, only a numb fear he would be lost to the earth, forgotten. The last to be created, an afterthought even to those who made him.

Sigma, offering what no other could. The ability to show others his true power. What he was capable of. People would notice if he hurt them. They would _notice_.

Years of being alone, holed up in the base armory, no one bothering to see him unless they needed him for something.

Armor blinked, his tears stinging his eyes.

A lie.

X would come to him, just to see him.

But even then, he was shy. Awkward. Didn't trust him.

"Why didn't you...reach out..." Kitty was crying now, too, "That's why we're here...what Zero always says it's what...separates us from humans..."

"I was _scared!"_ Armor sobbed, trying to recoil, but was held back by Kitty, "I thought just because I don't feel emotion the way they do...that they'd think...I _liked_ being maverick!"

He shook, desperately wanting to hide.

"I wasn't _passionate_ like they were! I was _bad_ , I was _faulty_ ! I just accepted it, thought I was _built_ to be shitty!" His dark muzzle was stained with tears, and his nose ran. "And I just made myself shittier! All my life...spent...making myself into something people would _never_ want to be around."

Kitty let him weep, let him confess how he had forged walls of hatred and misogyny to make himself feel more entitled, to things he never even asked for. Made himself bitter and untouchable to feel as if he was somehow better than those he resented. His own brothers.

The sync was shattered, Armor unable to take the memories of being forgotten at base, curled in the corner of his room, unable to cry any longer.

His chest heaved, and he weakly clutched at Kitty, as if he held her wrong, he'd be struck with an electric shock.

"That's why we're here. We're here to love each other, and it wasn't fair for...for you to be forgotten." Kitty whispered, sniffling, "But what matters is that we're here now." The girl slowly closed her eyes, brushing out his mussed up fur.

"I'm...sorry..." Armor repeated, the petting soothing him enough to take deep, shaky breaths. "I'm sorry I was no better than a maverick for so long."

He turned his head, nose buried in his shoulder, a new wave of agony striking him.

"But I don't know how else to feel anymore. If I _can_ feel anymore. Everything is so dull and numb and--"

"I think you're depressed." Kitty leaned back, her tiny little fingers holding his sharp clawed hands.

Armor snorted sarcastically, "No _shit_."

"I don't know how different it is from human depression, but maybe if we...if we do little things...together..." She nudged his nose with her own, "maybe little nice things will help. People don't understand that sometimes...sometimes the best feelings come from being gentle with each other."

Armor sighed, ears relaxed and flopping to either side.

"You're talking about X. When his gem gets all pink." He smiled tiredly.

"Mhm. He's happiest when things are quiet and soft." Kitty gazed up into Armor's amber eyes. "You may need that, too."

He looked away.

"I'm probably a lost cause, Kitty. I don't know if--"

Kitty cleared her throat loudly. Armor perked up, brow furrowed.

"You have ears, I _know_ you heard me when I said 'no pity party.'" Her eyes narrowed, "I watched first hand as Zero pulled that shit on X. For YEARS he pulled that shit on X. And I'm NOT going to watch it happen again." She sniffed, and rubbed her pink nose.

Armor made an embarrassed noise.

"I guess...you're right. I've felt sorry for myself for too long anyway. But I still don't--"

Kitty puffed up.

"No more don't's! You can do anything you want, Armor! But being miserable about what you are now won't change anything."

Armor slumped.

**[[One More Night | Phil Collins]](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jdg1i6J1yY) **

"Kitty..." He mumbled, "I know I...I was...horrible...earlier, but..." He shyly pushed his nose to her cheek. "Can you...keep petting me...?" He willed himself not to cry again. He was already exhausted to the point his gem barely glowed.

"Mhm." Kitty smiled, running her fingers through tear stained fur, rubbing his ears. "We can cuddle too, if you're gentle, and not mean."

"I won't...ever do that again, I promise, I--"

"Shh." Kitty nuzzled him, "I know you won't."

Armor let out a pathetic noise, caught between a sigh and a whimper. He let Kitty continue stroking him, his chin on her shoulder. He closed his eyes, still trembling every so often.

"You _are_ passionate, Armor. I _know_ you are." Kitty purred, hugging his thick neck in her slender arms, "You like reading those comic books and you like playing games! Flame says you're really good at them too."

Armor smiled weakly.

"Not the 'bad' comic books, right?"

"I think you can do without them, honestly." Kitty scolded, tail thumping the bed, "They make you think awful things."

Armor frowned to himself, "Yeah, I know, I just..." He tensed, "When you've only got yourself..."

Kitty snorted. "I'm NOT helping you with _that_ kinda frustration. You have to _earn_ that."

Armor groaned, "I know. I'd rather...actually..." His ears slicked back, "Get you to like me...the _right_ way."

"Me too. And I already _do_ like you, Armor. You helped me when my tail got hurt, and you cared for me. You could have been mean about that, but you weren't."

Armor nodded wordlessly into her shoulder.

"You're still gonna have to work on being a better person, and it'll be kinda hard, I think, but..."

The boy's soft fur bristled all the way up to his ears as Kitty kissed his nose.

"I know you can do it. And I think you'll feel so much better doing good and nice things rather than mean and nasty ones."

"Kitty...you're too fuckin' good for me." Armor gave an embarrassed laugh. "I don't deserve--"

"NO PITY PARTY." Kitty's tail bushed up, waving in warning.

"A-ah, y-yeah," Armor shrunk back, "I...I'll do better, I promise. I never liked feeling like shit all the time. I really _did_ like helping the mavs when they got hurt, or if they needed armor upgrades..." He gave her a hopeful look, and relaxed as she smiled happily.

"See! Just think about all the nice things  you did. People really _do_ appreciate you, Armor. They just don't remember to say thank you all the time." Kitty yawned, and wiggled, "I'll stay with you tonight, okay? Please be good to me."

Armor's chest clenched with guilt.

"O-of course. I'll be really gentle, I promise."

Kitty simply smiled before digging herself a nest in the sheets, curling up under the comforter.

Armor quietly took his place beside her, curling as well. She snuggled deeply into his dark plush fur.

"Talking about things I like makes me happy," She murmured, her gem glowing a sleepy green, "Tell me about the game you were playing..."

Armor blinked in surprise. Kitty actually wanted to know about what he liked?

Tentatively, he wrapped a strong arm around her, shyly snuffling her soft hair. He hadn't realized how small she was until now. He certainly wasn't the biggest mav, but he wasn't Chill Penguin size either.

"Well, uh..." He shivered as a blush crept up him, Kitty's breath on his chest, "There's four characters, and they have to restore these four magical orbs to their temples, so the four elements are in harmony again."

"Lotta fours." Kitty mumbled, drooling sleepily.  

"Haha, y-yeah, and...well, you can choose what class your four characters are," Armor rambled on, "Like, fighter and monk and black and white mages, but if you find the dragon king, he can class change you into a warrior and wizard and--"

Armor paused, ears swiveling to a tiny, squeaking noise.

Kitty was already fast asleep in his arms, her entire body relaxed, gem glowing a soft mint color.

Armor closed his eyes with a hum.

If Kitty believed in him, then he'd do everything to make her proud of him. Maybe even _like_ him.

Still, a fear nagged at him, of the possibility of reverting to his old, abhorrent behavior...but he pushed it away. Mistakes were to learn from now.

Not to accept as a character flaw and move on.

He curled protectively around the sleeping girl.

"Thank you..." He sighed, gem a pale, weary citrine.

————————

**[[Take Me Home | Phil Collins]](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iDjqKg3pcOg) **

Kitty and Armor woke very slowly, taking their time to snuffle each other out, faces warm, noses cold.

Fluffing her tail, Kitty was the first to get up, sighing softly.

"I'm...gonna have to add you to the list of...snuggliest people..." She rubbed her eyes, then went right back down to cuddle up into his thick fur, burying her face in his neck.

Armor laughed. Bitterness gone, replaced with genuine relief.

"You have a _list_?"

"If I didn't before, I'd have to now." Kitty purred, relaxing. "So soft..."

The girl paused, suddenly frowning.

"...Armadillos don't _have_ fur...."

Armor's face screwed up humorously, amber eyes shining. His chest shook as he laughed.

"No, they don't. At least not like I do..." He grinned, showing sharp white teeth, "These aren't armadillo teeth either."

"Then..."

"I thought about it last night, if I'm honest. I guess I was such an afterthought to the council that they forgot I was supposed to be an armadillo, and they made me a _badger_ instead!"

Kitty expected him to be sour about it, resentful...but he kept laughing! His gem glowed a bright, clear topaz.

"That's fine with me. I like badgers anyway, and they dig just like armadillos do. But they're way cooler."

"Don't badgers have cone shaped heads?" Kitty still looked a bit startled at Armor's reaction.

He grinned, shrugging, "Yeah, I don't know what happened there, either. It's kinda like a kangaroo...maybe a rabbit?"

"I like bunnies..." Kitty mused to herself, earning another chuckle.

"I don't know what you did to me, Kitty,

but..." Armor was quiet now, "Being miserable...and knowing it was _me_ making myself miserable all these years..."

Kitty stretched cutely, hips arched out, arms up, toes wiggling.

He smiled, clawed hands around her waist.

"I think I should stop ignoring everyone trying to help me...and help myself too." Their noses touched, and his gem flashed brightly. "It might be kinda hard, but..."

Armor let out a deep, rumbling purr.

"I said I was the toughest mav of them all, right? I can do it." He closed his eyes as Kitty rubbed playfully at his ears.

"Just don't forget I'm here for you. If you need a hug, or someone to talk to,

I'm right here." She nuzzled him sweetly.

"Thank you...for being patient..." Armor snuffled her, before huffing and relaxing, flopping onto his back.

"Mm-mm." Kitty chirped, shaking her head, "I'm sorry for falling asleep last night while you were talking. You can keep going now that I'm awake."

Armor instantly perked up, ears stiff, eyes wide.

"R-really?! Y-you wanna hear me talk about my game?" Armor squeaked.

"Mhm." Kitty giggled, "I love hearing you talk about the things you love." She lay her head on his chest, getting comfortable.

"W-well..sh-shit...!" Armor stammered, his dark face burning from blush, heart pounding...Kitty really _was_ the girl of his dreams...he knew he'd have to work hard to prove himself to her. "Uh, lemme see..."

Not all the comics he read were "bad." A lot of them did have young men training to better themselves for the girl they loved, or for their honor...even for their friends.

He'd be just like that, but...

He smiled, petting a sighing Kitty.

 _Armor Armadillo_ style.

Then she'd like him for sure.

"Well, I think I left off at the Dragon King, and how he class changes you. But like, you have to _find_ him first, and that takes like, FOREVER to do, and THEN you have to do some Tower Of Trials bullshit and..."

He paused.

"Kitty?

"Mm?"

"Do you really..."

"Yes. I do."

Armor shifted nervously.

"Maybe we should...hang out sometime...and talk more..." He mumbled, ears twitching, "I wanna hear about you, too."

"If you do nice things, you'll feel better..." Kitty reminded him with a purr, already feeling sleepy again.

"I will. I'll...I'll do my best, okay?"

Kitty kissed under his jaw, giggling as his fur stood on end, and his nose turned red, gem a hot honey color.

"Good." She murmured, closing her eyes and relaxing, "Good, Armor."

"Y-yeah..." He gulped, fur still prickling, "...y-yeah..."

"Tell me...about the Dragon King...sommore..." Kitty yawned.

The mid morning light streamed in through dark curtains, warming the room in a golden glow.

And they were content. A gentle, buttercup yellow gem to a minty one.

No longer were they forgotten, for they remembered each other.

**Author's Note:**

> armor was a fuckin mess to write mainly bc i remember him being Kinda Good Sometimes, but BOY HOWDY did you have to fuckin dig deep to get to it. i figured he deserved a redemption arc so here we are


End file.
